A Time of Need
by LadyDi
Summary: His mouth opened to rebuke her, but he stopped when he smelled tears glinting in the poor light. His mouth snapped shut. Before he could stop himself, his hand wiped her face dry. He gave her a little smile as his hand returned to his side. "Idiot. Don't say such things. You worry about getting better."
1. Chapter 1

Most missions that Lucy went on were dangerous and screamed 'Natsu chose this!'. She primarily knew because it involved at least one of them getting (seriously) injured without fail. That or there was a lot of physical activity involved; not usually her strong point. The few times that Lucy got to choose a mission, which meant she managed to get to the board first, she tried to compromise between high pay, level of danger, and excitement for Natsu's sake. Lucy would try to find the less dangerous job and argued that one of them was still injured or they had just done a life-threatening mission and needed a break. There was normally a squabble involved in order to convince Natsu to go since he would always deny being injured or worn out. This was one of those times.

The job in and of itself had no level of danger. It also was just outside of Magnolia, which Lucy used in her favor. Nearby meant not taking any form of transportation other than their own two legs. Lucy also promised to give a little more than half of the reward to Natsu as opposed to their usual fifty-fifty. She also tried pleading that she was looking forward to completing the job because it seemed really fun. She even dared boast that they could finish it effortlessly and be home fairly fast. This would give them the option to do another mission of a different caliber if Natsu wanted to go out again that quickly.

They left town early in the morning to get as far as possible with as much light as they could get. Lucy tried to not stop for rest as much as possible until her legs became almost useless. She tried not to take too much stuff because she knew carrying a lot would just weigh her down. Plus, she didn't want to listen to Natsu complaining about her being weak or Happy's jabs about how slow she was.

They camped somewhat outside of town after it was too dark to walk without falling somewhere and breaking a leg. Lucy could see the lights in the distance, but figured that by the time they found a hotel in the dark, everyone would be full or not open. Or she would end up wasting jewels for half of the night being over for however much it would cost. Thankfully it wasn't too cold out. Not like she had to worry about that with her own pyromaniac around. It was just too bad he couldn't heat up a decent bath for her aching muscles at the nearby stream. She managed a quick wash-up before hurrying to the roaring fire Natsu had going.

The night was uneventful, as was the morning. Lucy made sure to get a lot of water from the stream for the day so she didn't have to buy any in town. They made it to their location by mid-morning. As Lucy had ensured, the job was easy and they had finished early that afternoon. Which was good because her appetite had oddly gone down since around noon. She had a little food at dinner, but mainly watched Natsu eat. No, scratch that; gorge himself on the local fare. She explained her loss of appetite when Natsu prodded that she eat more.

Lucy was not feeling like an all-night trek back home just to save their reward jewels...even if Natsu could make a fire to light the whole way. She was feeling worse the longer she sat upright. "Natsu...can we stay somewhere tonight instead of camping again?"

One of his brows rose as he looked up from a plate. "Hah? Why?"

She couldn't stand keeping her head up anymore and rested it on the table. She didn't really care this second if there was something food-related touching her bangs. "I'm...not feeling...up to the walk..." She didn't have to worry about him not being able to hear her muffled mumble; Natsu could hear a pin drop through all the noise in the restaurant.

Natsu put his food down and stared at his partner's head. In the whole span that he'd known her, Natsu couldn't remember ever seeing Lucy lay her head on the table just because she was feeling bad. He was pretty sure some of the food that he'd splattered her way was currently under her forehead too and yet she wasn't freaking out about it. He knew it must be bad and thus gave in without an argument. "Sure. Do we have enough to pay for the rooms?"

Lucy's tired head attempted to calculate what she had on hand. After a few seconds, she gave up and hoped all was well. "If not, we'll just have to make do I guess..."

Natsu's brows went up. Lucy usually hated him taking up her apartment whenever she found him loitering without 'properly' coming in...whatever that meant. To hear how little she cared about them sharing a room worried him a little. He looked over to Happy and shared a silent, questioning glance.

Happy took a few steps across the table and put a paw under Lucy's bangs. "You don't seem to have a fever..." He announced. "Do you have a stomach ache?"

"Yea, kinda..."

Happy looked to Natsu. Both tried to figure out what she'd eaten or where because they hadn't had much too eat since they left the campsite. But Natsu always well-cooked every meal they caught; almost too much most times. And why weren't either of them sick? Not like Natsu was ever ill; the fire raging in his body usually kept him healthy.

Lucy put down the cash for their meal as they stood to leave. Her stomach rolled once and she leaned on the table, taking slow breaths to calm down.

Natsu had watched his partner's face, carefully taking in every detail . When she straightened, he placed a hand on her arm. "Hey...are you even gonna make it to the hotel? Do I have to carry you again?"

She brushed him off and headed for the door. "No. I'll make it. I just need a good night's sleep...maybe..." She managed to give him a warning look as they headed outside. "Just don't rush me, okay?"

Natsu tried not to sigh as he easily kept in step, hands clasping behind his head. "Un. But by the time we get there at the speed you're going, all the rooms will be gone."

Lucy glared at him. Oh, how she'd love to be well enough to punch him for that! She would just have to wait until she was better, which she hoped would be soon! This sudden illness was really knocking her flat and at this rate they weren't going anywhere fast. Plus, the walking that they were doing was only making retching seem like a good idea the more they kept going. Lucy weakly proclaimed that the first hotel they found was where they were stopping...price be damned! She didn't even listen to Natsu's comments after that.

Lucy had concentrated so much on keeping her legs moving and her stomach down that she had barely heard Natsu send Happy off to find out how much farther they had. 'You're almost there...keep breathing...slow breaths...you're almost there. There will be a room and a nice soft bed to sleep whatever this is out of your system...' Sheer will got her far, but failed in the end. All the breathing in the world didn't keep her heart rate normal, nor the stomach cramps in check. Her stomach ominously clenched, heart rate speeding up drastically. Without thinking of anything other than being out of the public eye, Lucy frantically took off for the alley mere steps away, hoping she made it.

Natsu had kept an eagle eye on his companion the whole trudge, worried about her pale countenance and how slow she was going. He wondered if carrying her would get her to the hotel faster. She was not looking in good shape; all the more reason he was stunned when she suddenly took off in a dead run. "Lucy? Hey!" He quickly followed suit and rounded the corner, finding her bracing herself with one hand on the alley wall and the other clutching at the fabric around her stomach. "What are -"

"D – don't...l – lo -" She couldn't manage anymore as dinner came up. She didn't have time to be mortified that Natsu was standing in front of her watching the whole thing. Her stomach muscles hurt in their haste to empty everything. Lucy flinched as her back attempted to help...as if those muscles would even do any good! The world disappeared as she struggled to breathe, trying to control her body and stop the contractions that had gone out of control and started just as one ended. She didn't even have time to worry about the pain in her gut.

Natsu stood in front of Lucy silently, hiding her from the public eye as much as he could. He knew that she wouldn't like someone to see her like this. He listened for anyone that stopped in front of the alley because of the noise. A few that did quickly rushed on with a glare form him. His attention turned back to Lucy when shuddering breaths hit his distracted ears.

After long minutes, Lucy forced control and clenched her teeth against yet another urge. She had long lost the ability to hold her head up and the brick cut into her forehead. Her legs trembled and finally gave out. She crashed to the ground, barely feeling the pain or hearing the splash. She was almost sick again, but tried to put it out of her mind.

Natsu kneeled before Lucy, trying not to inhale too sharply as he neared the mess her knees were in. A hand lightly touched her shoulder, not too sure what he should say. He waited for her to move before doing anything. "Feeling better?" He quietly trod.

"...Yea..." She actually was. Ten times more than before they left the restaurant. Her legs were still shaking, but she needed to get out of here while she still could.

"Let me help you." His hands went under her arms, easily pulling her slight form to stand. He deftly read her movements, adjusting to her speed. He waited a moment while she acclimated to standing before wrapping one of her arms over his shoulder, gently grasping her wrist.

"No, Natsu...I smell and I don't wanna puke on you again..."

"Hmph! Who cares about a little puke? We'll just need to clean up when we get to the hotel."

She didn't have the energy to push him away nor walk by herself right now. She gratefully slumped against him as they went down the street, trying to ignore any eyes. She felt bad for anyone that would stumble upon the alley and just the thought made her blush. She concentrated on their journey, feeling Natsu move in time with her. Lucy gave a weak smile. "Thanks Natsu..."

He flashed her a smile. His ears picked up the flapping of wings and he looked up. "Happy, down here!"

Happy dove and covered his nose with a paw when he neared. He quickly assessed the situation, becoming very concerned at Lucy's physical dishevelment and the few spots he saw bleeding. "Lucy, are you okay?"

Natsu kept walking and answered for her. "She's fine. How much farther?"

"Five more buildings ahead. I already got us a room set up. We just need to hurry there and pay."

"A room?" Lucy sighed as best she could when Happy nodded. She wasn't in the mood to worry about vanity with the way she looked and it wasn't like the pair hadn't ever shacked up in one room due to lack of funds or hotel mishaps. Not counting all the times that Natsu snuck into her room and stole her bed... It might end up working out better with Natsu being in the same room if this happened again. With as bad as she felt, she feared it would.

The pair forked over the jewels and headed to the room. Lucy was thankful it wasn't as expensive as she feared. She stared at the bed longingly, but wasn't happy at the thought of soiling the sheets. She needed a shower, but didn't have the energy to do so. With all the walking they did after the 'stunt' in the alley, she wasn't feeling so well again. She resisted a groan.

What was wrong with her body? Why was she feeling so violently ill all afternoon? As best as she could, Lucy traced their steps back through the day up until they left Magnolia. The food she ate since their arrival for the job was in a reputable restaurant. The breakfast they had after camping Lucy had gotten from Mira, so that food was also safe. "Oh...ooohhhh...oh no!" Lucy groaned as the pieces came together.

Natsu's brows furrowed. "Lucy? Are you gonna puke again?"

"River water..."

His head tilted. "Hah? River water?"

"It was...the river water that I drank...that made me sick..." Her free hand clutched at her stomach. Her heart rate started going up again. She tried to take slow breaths and pulled the arm Natsu still held onto. "Natsu...let go! Let me go!"

Natsu only complied at the sheer urgency in Lucy's voice. He stood there as she made a beeline to the open doorway leading to the bathroom. Lucy attempted to close the door, but Natsu easily heard the horrible noises coming from his friend.

"Lucy..."

Natsu looked to Happy's worried visage floating near him. He shared Happy's look, totally at a loss as what to do. He didn't know any doctors in this city or he would've already gone himself or sent Happy. Happy could've flown back to Magnolia for Wendy to heal Lucy, but it was a day's travel one-way and who knew where Wendy would be by the time Happy got there. Even if Happy used Max Speed, he could only use it so much and it drained his magic a bit. Happy probably wouldn't be able to use it to Magnolia and back again with Wendy. Even if Charle came with... Natsu sighed. All they could do was check in with the hotel staff and get someone there as soon as possible.


	2. Chapter 2

His ears perked up as shuddering breaths made their way through his thoughts. He peeked into the bathroom, eyes landing on her slightly shivering frame in front of the toilet. He didn't know what to say, but he doubted that she would hear him. She didn't even seem to notice his presence right now. Natsu kneeled a few feet behind her and watched her back move as she breathed. He took in the goosebumps on her legs, the clenched fists, and deep breaths. Before he could stop himself, a hand raised and softly squeezed a shoulder.

Had she not been focusing so much on herself, Lucy would've jumped at the contact. She felt the warmth he radiated and it was nice on her skin, yet it didn't help her stomach. It barely registered that Natsu was touching her ever so gently. His tender squeeze helped her a lot to tell her that she wasn't alone in the room suffering and that he was ready to help when she needed it.

She needed to clean up, but she was too weak to get from the shower to bed let alone changed by herself. Her face flushed at the thought of needing Natsu's help to wash her. She couldn't just stay in her clothes while he helped her shower because they smelled and they'd be too hard to take off as weak as she was. Trying to conserve her vanity was only going to make things worse in the long run. She tried to keep her heartbeat down, but for a different reason this time. She had to bite the bullet and do this. She would just have to swear Natsu to secrecy and hope he didn't forget to keep his mouth shut.

"Natsu...I need your help..." She sat up as best as possible, feeling his hand pull away. Cold replaced the lack of contact. She tried to meet his eyes and failed. Her face was a permanent red, but she figured he'd attribute it to her being sick. "Can you get me my pack please?"

"No problem." He stood and hurried to the main room; happy to be able to do something. He yanked her bag off the floor and headed straight back. He set it before Lucy and headed for the door, hand on the knob.

"Natsu...wait..." She refused to look at him as she tried to formulate her words. "I need to see a doctor about what's wrong with me... Could you send Happy to the lobby and see what he can find out and then come back?" She waited until his exit before quietly removing her clothes. She grabbed a nearby towel, sat on the tub lip, and waited in embarrassment. She was trying to not make her condition worse, but just knowing what was about to take place was making her heart thunder and she didn't need that right now. She kind of hoped he hurried because she was starting to freeze with nothing but her short hair to keep her warm. The towel definitely wasn't helping.

Natsu relayed the message and watched Happy fly off. He turned for the bathroom after the main door clicked shut. "Okay Lucy, Happy is -" Everything halted in a split second and he dumbly blinked. His eyes fixed upon a bare back and blonde hair covering most of her face. What he could see was bright red. The second Natsu's brain recognized that Lucy was stark naked with her back meeting his eyes, his brain snapped and went into panic mode. Her being sick totally didn't register right now. A hand slapped over his eyes as he took a retreat step backward. "AH! I'm sorry! Don't kill me!"

Had she felt better, Lucy would have been amused at the amount of conditioning Natsu had received from her about this situation. He had snuck in her apartment at the wrong times so much and had been punished every time that he now was assuming the worst. She tried not to smile. "It's okay... I – I need your help Natsu..." She mumbled, refusing to meet his eyes. "I don't have the strength to do this by myself." She weakly clutched the towel draped over her front. There was silence and she could sense tension in the air. She forced herself to meet his eyes. "Please Natsu..." The cold of the tub was biting into her legs and the air met her back and she tried not to shiver, but was losing the battle.

This whole situation was really weird to put it mildly. He had waited for the other shoe to drop until their eyes met...then Natsu could see she was serious. He wondered if she had sent Happy away for this reason. He was well aware that he was beet red, even though this wasn't the first time he'd seen more than necessary due to walking in on her at her apartment or whenever her clothes got damaged during battle. "You're...not going to punch me, right?"

Her head shook. She clutched the towel to her a little more to keep warm. "I won't punch you." She quietly echoed. Just sitting like this to try and keep her balance was already wearing her down. Sitting upright in and of itself wasn't helping either. "I'll tell you what to do so don't worry."

He still didn't buy her words for another moment. This had NEVER happened between them and this felt like an out of body experience that someone other than him was going through. But the reality of how ill Lucy was hit him like a ton of bricks when the slight trembling she had been doing the last few minutes turned up another notch. Of course she would be cold considering that she was naked, but Natsu didn't think it was as simple as that. She must have a fever too if her whole body was trembling like it was. His ears could easily hear her breathing affected by the shivering and he finally conceded. Trying to get his face to go back to its normal tone, he looked away with a quick nod. "All right..."

Lucy had to give Natsu serious credit for the situation despite the huge amount of tension in the room. He did exactly what she said, deftly followed her instructions, was really gentle with her, and did a great job. He was oddly mature the whole time and made no side comments as he helped her dress. She noted that his face would flare up a bunch of times from beginning to the end, but so had hers.

It was nice to finally leave the bathroom, but doing so presented a new challenge. There was only one bed, somewhat small at that, and only chairs and a table as the remaining furniture. Lucy didn't want to make Natsu sleep on the floor or huddle up in the chairs all night. She got all the way to the bed, with help of course, and got under the covers before making up her mind. She scooted to the corner and met Natsu's eyes. "Natsu...why don't you take the other half?"

He blinked a few times before what she was saying registered. "Nah, I'm good. You're sick; you should take it."

"It's not like you haven't crashed in a bed I've been in before. I'll be fine. There isn't anywhere else that's comfortable for you to sleep in."

His arms crossed. "It's not the first time I've taken the floor from something like this. No big deal. Just get some sleep." He flashed her a thumbs up to help his case.

Lucy could see that she wasn't going to win against chivalry here. When Natsu had made up his mind, there was no getting around it. She could be the same way sometimes, but she was too tired and sick to argue right now. Trying to do so would only use up valuable sleep time. "Okay..." She laid down and took a minute to find a comfortable position. "Thanks for everything Natsu."

He smiled at her and gave her shoulder a light pat. "Don't mention it. You get some sleep while I go and find out where Happy is." He waited till she nodded in understanding before he grabbed the room key and headed out. It wouldn't be a comfortable night's rest, but maybe he could grab a few blankets and pad the floor a little. Still, he had it easy compared to his poor friend.

All was quiet in the main area, but it was evening and Natsu wasn't expecting a crowd. He looked for Happy, but didn't see a shred of blue anywhere so he headed for the attendant. "Excuse me. Did a blue cat come down here not that long ago and ask about a doctor?"

"Yes sir. There is one nearby and he said he'd head out looking for her. I drew him a map and he headed out maybe ten minutes ago."

Yosh...then hopefully Happy would manage to bring one back soon. Natsu decided to head back to the room in case Lucy needed him. Happy was way ahead of him and thus it made no sense for Natsu to go to the same place just because he didn't want to wait around. He just needed to put some faith in that Happy would find the doctor and manage to convince her to come at this hour to take a look at Lucy. He mentally kept his fingers crossed that it happened. If Lucy needed him to clean her, she was in bad shape!

His face burned all over again, eyes burning holes into the floor. Never in a million years would he have imagined giving Lucy a sponge bath! He knew how she felt about such a thing, though he didn't understand it, and he usually kept a respectful (yet fearful) distance. That and she was REALLY scary when she was mad! He had a feeling that no matter how hard he tried not to think about tonight, it was only going to pop up in his thoughts all the more. He had a feeling this may end up being a long night...

He fumbled with the blankets he was given and unlocked the door. He tiptoed in and tried to close the door as silently as possible. He didn't need to worry about the darkness as his keen eyes did a good job of using the low light to his advantage. It also showed him the disheveled covers of an empty bed. He quickly scanned the room. "Lucy?" He tossed the covers in a corner of the room when the first retch met his ears. He hurried into the bathroom, pausing in the dark. He could only stand there and listen and worry...what else could he do?

'Man, this is bad...this is three times already! It's not even midnight yet!' He was torn between hunting down the doctor himself and staying there to support her. What was going on with her? She mentioned river water, but how would just drinking it make her sick? He drank from rivers all the time and he was fine!

He waited till the tell-tale sign of her unsteady breathing took over; a sign that she managed to take control and was pretty much done. He quietly walked in and helped her to stand in the same way as before. He helped her to the sink to clean up and then walked her to bed without words.

She sunk into the mattress, practically out already. "Thanks N -"

He put a finger over her lips. "You don't need to keep thanking me idiot. That's what I'm here for. Try to get some sleep. Happy is bringing a doctor right now."

He stood there until she fell asleep and then went to lay out his makeshift bed. He got everything as good as it was going to be and got changed to sleep. He lay there, arms behind his head, marveling at how the day turned out and wondering if they'd be able to even head home tomorrow. He hoped that Happy got back soon! Silence descended, but his mind was in turmoil. This waiting was killing him, but he kept telling himself to be patient. Lucy wasn't over this sickness and if he left to find the doctor then she'd be all alone to deal with it by herself for however long he would be gone for. That was unforgivable; he didn't want to let her suffer by herself if he could help it.

Minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Natsu bolted up to get it, mentally crossing his fingers that it was the doctor. If not, the person on the other side of that door was going to get a fiery earful if Lucy woke up! Not that he noticed her stir when he crossed the room however...

He yanked the door open and there stood Happy with an elderly woman. He gave a relieved smile and stepped aside to let them in. He headed over to Lucy's bed and gently shook a shoulder, feeling a little bad at having to do so. "Lucy." She groaned and mumbled something unintelligible. "Lucy, you have to wake up. The doctor is here."

The word 'doctor' made her peek an eye open. She slowly sat up, squinting as the light was turned on. She managed a slight nod to the doctor. The woman walked up to Lucy and put two fingers under her chin to feel for a pulse. The room was quiet for a while as the doctor poked at her a bit.

Natsu sat in the corner of the room, one leg bouncing in anticipation as he watched. The doctor was silent as she worked and it took all of his will to not jump up and shake a diagnosis out of her. When the doctor asked a question, he supplied just one answer before Lucy could speak up and received a glare that spoke of a real threat of punishment. He wisely kept quiet after that. But he was still antsy, albeit tired, for a release from the situation and to get Lucy back to normal.

The doctor kneeled and rummaged in her bag, pulling out a few small envelopes, some powders, and a bowl. She poured the contents in the bowl and then separated the contents into the envelopes. When done, she handed them all to Lucy. "Take one of these now and then every two hours until you run out. Make sure to get plenty of sleep. If you can keep any food down, stick to light soups and rices. Don't eat any thick foods or meats unless you want a repeat of your evening." The doctor turned and stared at Natsu. "You boy!"

He immediately sat up straight. "Yes!"

"Go get this young girl a glass of water. A small one!"

He jumped up, again happy to be able to do something. He hurried back and handed over the needed item, then took up his seat again.

The doctor finally left and Lucy settled back into bed. The medicine didn't make any immediate difference, much to her disappointment. The room quieted down and Lucy listened to Natsu get comfortable on the floor, somewhat feeling bad that she had the entire bed. There wasn't even a second pillow she could give him! "Natsu?"

"Ah?"

"Good night."

"G'night."

"Good night Happy."

"Good night Lucy. I hope you get better soon."

She smiled and agreed. Not long after, she gratefully passed out again. Her rest was not that good however. She stirred a few times, but thankfully fell right back asleep. It was still night when she woke up again. The same ominous rolling in her gut called for her to get up, but she really didn't want to. The bed was warm and she didn't want to get all chilled again from the cold floor. But she didn't have an option and if she stayed in bed, she'd soil it. She threw the covers off her and hurried to the bathroom, not trying to be quiet. She didn't have the luxury. She made it with seconds to spare and fell to her knees as the familiar contractions started.

Natsu jolted awake as noises met his ears. Half asleep, he stood with fire ready in one hand, before the light showed him an empty bed and open bathroom door. He fully woke up and hurried to the noise. A hand scrubbed his face to try and keep him awake as he leaned against the bathroom doorway, grimacing. Never had he felt so powerless. If Lucy was being attacked physically, he could step in and take over any damage she might receive. In this case, his fire would only make things worse and burn her. All he could do was be there for her and support her.

After agonizing minutes, she took control back again and did the same breathing patterns. The same warm, strong hands gently helped her to stand and get her back to bed without a word. She started to get comfortable and stopped. "Natsu, how long have I been asleep for? What time is it?"

"It's only been an hour and a half since the doctor left."

Lucy groaned. "I suppose maybe I did get some sleep... Can you get me some water and another envelope? I'll just take my medicine now."

Natsu provided the materials and took them back when Lucy was done. She fell quickly asleep, sleeping a little better than before. It was still night when she woke up again though. Natsu helped her just as he always had; a strong, silent presence. She was so grateful that he was here. She had no clue what would happen if she had to deal with this by herself. She took another envelope and passed out again. She had one more episode just as the barest traces of dawn came through the window.

Lucy settled into the bed again, utterly exhausted. Before Natsu could get too far to his own section of the room, she grasped his wrist. "I'm sorry you lost so much sleep because of me Natsu."

His mouth opened to rebuke her, but he stopped when he smelled tears glinting in the poor light. His mouth snapped shut. Before he could stop himself, his hand wiped her face dry. He gave her a little smile as his hand returned to his side. "Idiot. Don't say such things. You worry about getting better."

She was feeling better and the span in between every time she was forced to get out of bed was lengthening. She only hoped that the episodes were finally done and she could get some real rest. She nodded and fell asleep almost instantly.

Lucy was fast asleep, but Natsu wasn't. He stared at the hand he had used to wipe the tear away, still wet. He could smell the salt from her tear and feel the cold as the air attempted to dry it. He stared at it for the longest time, unblinking, before it went behind his head with the other. He quietly sighed and closed his eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

Natsu's eyes suddenly popped open and stared at the ceiling. He blinked a few times, trying to clear the cobwebs of his very sleep-addled brain. What time was it? The night came back as he noted the bed a short distance away. His eyes found the clock and saw it to be almost noon. A hand tiredly scrubbed his face. His stomach loudly protested at being ignored for so long and Natsu stood. They had all totally slept through breakfast and he was quite starved. He looked over to a chair that Happy was still passed out in and decided to let his friend continue sleeping. Happy woke up as many times as he had and also lost a lot of sleep.

Natsu headed to the corner of the bed and blatantly stared at its sole occupant. Lucy looked haggard and exhausted. She didn't even twitch in the minutes that he watched her. There were slight stress lines on her brow. His lips pursed, brow furrowing. He knew he should probably wake her and have her take her medicine, but she had put in some good hours since dawn. He really didn't want to wake her if he didn't have to. Despite doctor's orders, he decided to go against them. The medicine must have done its job if she had slept so much so far. Definitely an improvement.

His stomach protested again, but he was fairly transfixed at the end of the bed. His eyes had locked on her face, almost unable to look away. Her breathing reached his ears; extremely slow and light. She almost seemed to not even be breathing. He knew if he left Happy here to be there for her then he could rest easier than if both of them left. Still, he didn't like the thought of not being here if she ended up in the bathroom again. Happy was really small and could only do so much.

He found a scrap of paper and jotted a quick note, leaving it near Happy and grabbed the room key, along with some jewels. He told himself he wouldn't be long and gave Lucy one last look before quietly shutting the door behind him. He mentally crossed his fingers that she would remain sleeping while he was gone.

He hurried to the main entrance, heading right to the desk for information. One quickly sketched map later and he was out to the nearest restaurant. The whole time he jogged there he tried to remember exactly what Lucy could and could not eat. He vaguely remembered something about soup and no meat. 'Light food? What does that mean?' He scanned the entire menu once he got there; finally asking for help from the waitress. He ordered a few of her recommendations and threw in a few fish for Happy.

After chowing down as quickly as possible, which wasn't any different than how he normally ate, he hurried back to the hotel. He doubted he was gone even an hour or so. He paid for a second night upon insistence of the clerk that they already owed another day. He grimaced at the amount of reward money they were using and hoped that Lucy wouldn't be too mad about it when she got better. If things kept up, they'd have to go on another mission just to make up for this one!

Natsu slipped into the room and instantly searched out the bed. Lucy hadn't moved at all since he left and he didn't know if that was a good thing or not. He noticed Happy sit up and headed over. "Did I wake you? How have things been?" He almost whispered, setting the bags on the table.

Happy's head shook. He matched Natsu's hushed voice, eyes alighting on the fish Natsu set out. "Lucy has been asleep since morning. Should we wake her? Isn't she supposed to take her medicine by now?"

Natsu plopped on the floor next to Happy's chair and faced the bed. His head shook. "We should probably let her sleep a bit more. She's really worn out because she's been up half the night." And so had they. Another reason why he didn't want to wake Lucy is because he could understand a little of what she was going through. They were all exhausted. He watched Happy go for his fish and listened to breathing from Lucy as it mixed with Happy's chewing. "We'll wake her in another hour. She'll be really hungry I bet."

Happy nodded in agreement. He watched Natsu head over to his makeshift bed and settle in. "Natsu?"

"There's not much we can do till she wakes up so I'm going to catch some more sleep. Are you planning on staying up?" Happy nodded, tearing into his second fish. "Wake me if she gets up or it's been an hour."

"Aye sir."

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At long last, Lucy's eyes fluttered open. Her half-opened eyes stared at something across the way before finally giving a slow blink. Minutes passed as she finally identified the wall in her sleepy brain. Slowly sitting up and mentally checking her nausea, she was really relieved that she seemed fine. She breathed a quiet sigh of relief and looked around. The room was heavily shadowed with...sunset? Or was it sunrise? How long had she been asleep for?

As her eyes finally adjusted, she noticed a lump in one side of the room. 'Natsu?' She noticed slight movement and edged off the bed. She was careful in standing to be fully sure that she wouldn't lose all the ground she had made. She slowly walked over to Natsu's side and sat. She took note of Happy in a chair a short distance away. Her eyes watered through a gentle smile as she watched them sleep, listening to quiet snoring. She didn't know how long they were out for, but if this was evening then Natsu had slept through dinner and who knew what else.

Her heart welled up and she couldn't stop the tears that followed. He had been so patient and gentle with her the entire time...even at the cost to himself on a few occasions. Most times he never said a word when he helped her and she didn't have to tell him what she needed. The first few times he just seemed to know what to do. Lucy wasn't all that surprised though. She had been Natsu's partner for a few years now and there were so many things that they communicated with just a look. Natsu was often times the dumb brawler, but when it came to serious situations he held his own.

She wiped away the tears, but left the smile, and stealthily took his hand. Even asleep, Natsu was warm down to his fingers. Her fingers curled around his as she tried to pour every ounce of gratitude into her touch.

Natsu soon stirred with a quiet groan, jolting when he noticed Lucy in front of him. He sat up quickly and took in the darkened room. A hand rubbed his eyes to try and wake up. "Lucy?! What's wrong? Are you gonna puke again?"

Lucy grinned and shook her head. "I'm feeling much better now. I don't think I'll do that anymore."

He relaxed and smiled. "That's a relief. What time is it?" He started as he spotted the clock at eight. "Hey Happy! You were supposed to wake me up in an hour! It's well past that!" His foot reached out and kicked the chair, rudely waking his friend.

Happy gave a shout at the blow and sat up. "Eh?! Lucy? Natsu? What's going on?"

Lucy's brow furrowed. "Don't be mean to Happy, Natsu! It's not his fault that you overslept."

"Yes it is! I told him to wake me in an hour to wake YOU up to take your medicine! It's eight! I even went and got you food too!" Natsu went to point where he still smelled the soup, but failed. He looked down in confusion to see Lucy's hands attached to his. He stared at her with a raised brow. "Why are you holding my hand?"

Lucy felt her face heat up as she snatched her hands back. "Uh! Um...well...you see..." She stared at the fists in her lap before subtly eying Happy. He would probably hold this over her head, but she wanted to say this before the mood changed. "I just...I...I...was just trying to convey my gratitude for all your help..."

He bypassed commenting on how weird her action was. He sat up slightly disgruntled and faced her. "You've been apologizing and thanking me ever since we got here. I told you to stop saying those things to me!" He flashed her a grin, clapping a hand on her shoulder. "We're partners and friends, aren't we? You've taken care of me plenty of times. We're here for each other, right?"

"Natsu..." Her eyes teared through a smile. Her hand covered his softly.

Happy hummed in that all-knowing way and she jumped. Reality crashed back as he ruined the mood. "Maybe you should just hug him..."

She yanked her hand away from his a second time, face burning up again. "A – anyway! You said something about food right?" She stood as quickly as possible and looked around.

He also stood and lit the lamps so they would have some light with their food. Natsu noted that he hadn't brought any dinner for himself or Happy. "What do you want to do Happy?"

Lucy sampled the soup, finding it to be just as good cold. "I'll be fine here by myself so why don't you both go get some food. Oh and we need to go talk to the clerk! We only paid for one night!"

Natsu waved her off. "Already took care of it. I only did another night so we'll see how you feel in the morning."

Lucy nodded, taking another spoonful. "Maybe I'll get a shower too while you're out."

He blinked. "You don't want help again?"

She flushed to her ears and down her neck. "No! That was special, got it?! Don't go making a habit out of it!"

"Natsu, what is Lucy talking about?"

"While you were gone last night -" Wham! Natsu fell to the ground from a direct hit in the nose with the object that she had hurled his way. He looked to Lucy. "What are you doing?!"

"Don't talk about that!" A finger whipped in front of his face. "Ever! You understand?!" Anyone but Happy!

He merely nodded. Lucy MUST be feeling better if he felt impending doom creep up his spine. THIS was their norm and he took the ominous look in a positive light.

A hand went to her aching head. Even this little activity was still too much. "Ah geez...just go eat before everyone closes down. Don't come into the bathroom without knocking first, okay?"

"Aye sir!"

When the door clicked, voices quickly fading, silence swarmed upon her ears. It reminded Lucy of the solitary dinners she used to eat when she was a child and she had to force herself not to run after the pair and join them. "It's not like when you were at home idiot." Slurp. "They're just going to be gone for an hour or two. Better to get in the shower before they get back."

The thought of her last 'bath' came crashing down, as did the mortification. Her face turned a lovely shade of tomato as she covered her face with her hands through a groan. If Natsu opened his mouth that easily when Happy asked a simple question, he would spill to anyone at the guild that approached him about why they weren't back after such an easy job. She was going to have to make him promise to keep this between them asap!

Lucy ate and drank what she could before hurrying into the bathroom. The hot water was great on her tired body and it was a shame to get out. She was feeling a little dizzy as she dried off and knew she overdid it a bit. She tried to drink more water, knowing her headaches were due to dehydration from not having drunk anything for an entire day. She took a medicine pouch and sat on the bed to towel-dry her hair.

The door clicked open minutes later and stopped only a few inches. One of her brows rose as she sat and stared, wondering what was going on. The towel didn't stop its brisk movements.

"I don't hear anything, do you?"

"You don't think she died, maybe?"

"Happy!"

"Hmm...maybe she left then?"

"What?!" The door swung wide as Natsu marched in. Their eyes locked for a second before Natsu noticed the towel that happened to be mostly draped down her front and took an instinctive step back. "Ah! I didn't see anything!"

Lucy tried not to smile and put the towel in front of her face when she failed. "It's okay. I'm fully dressed." She went to the bathroom to get a dry towel and wrapped her hair up to get more water out. "How was dinner?"

Natsu eyed the empty soup bowl and put a fresh one next to it. "We brought you some more food. Eat up while it's still hot."

"I'm sorry Natsu, but I'm not too hungry after all the water I just had."

"But we even hurried back after we got this so it wouldn't be cold this time!"

She smiled softly and got off the bed. She just couldn't refuse such thoughtfulness a second time. "Well...maybe just a little..."

Natsu beamed and pulled the chair out. "Now you're talkin!" He left her to the food as she sat down and went to his 'bed' to recline.

She had to admit that it smelled good. Even though she wasn't really hungry enough to eat the whole thing, Lucy still had more than she imagined she would. "This is really good!"

"Right?"

After telling herself to quit, Lucy took the towel out and found her hair almost dry, but definitely needing a good comb-through. She started on her bangs before a sly smile popped up with a great idea. She looked over to find Natsu taking his shoes off. "Hey Natsu?"

His eyes met hers. "Ah?"

She attempted a sugary grin and batted her eyes, even if she already knew he was impervious to such feminine tactics. "Could you come here and comb my hair for me please?"

A brow arched. "Hah? Why?" he sat up and took in her form. "Are you still too weak to do so?"

"No..." She couldn't lie; it was something she hated. "Just this once? Please? I won't ask you again."

He gave her an openly perturbed look at the mere thought of having to do something so stupid when she could do so herself. He didn't even comb his own hair! Finally, his eyes closed with a put out sigh. He stood, still not looking happy, and walked over. "Just this once!" He echoed, snatching the comb from her.

She nodded, nearly beaming, and made room for him to sit behind her. Who didn't love having their hair combed? She always loved it when her nanny did so and that had probably spoiled her. She quickly realized that Natsu definitely wasn't her nanny though when he practically yanked her hair out of her scalp from the get-go. She tactfully stopped him and gave him a few subtle pointers as her headache started up again. The strain marks around her eyes only lessened as Natsu's touch got better.

He refused to enjoy the soft feel of Lucy's hair and the pleasant smell of her shampoo as he worked. He didn't mind having to do so much for her up until now because she had been really ill; more than he had ever seen her. He had wanted to help her in any way that he could. This? This was just taking advantage of his good graces now!

Natsu was having to keep readjusting his stance as Lucy kept leaning against him more and more. She was making it difficult to do anything properly. By the time he was finished, he was pretty much supporting all of her weight with her back practically covering his entire torso. Not that she was heavy. Lucy was always seriously underweight in his opinion. It was a good thing she was much shorter than he was or their position wouldn't have worked.

His fingers ran through her hair a few times without snagging and he nodded in satisfaction. The hand holding the comb tapped it on her head a few times. "Okay...all done. You can get off me now." Silence. He blinked, head tilting to see her face. His ears picked up slow breathing and he became aware of the rise and fall of her torso against his.

"Lucy fell asleep a while ago Natsu."

He met Happy's grinning visage, still sitting on the bed with a sleeping Lucy leaning against his chest. Fell asleep...? One eye twitched. A vein popped on his forehead. What?! He gripped the comb, feeling it bite into his palm. His first thought was to wake her up...whether to shake her or just sit back and let her fall onto the bed. But the events of the last few days crashed back and he stopped himself. Something like this shouldn't have put Lucy out that easily...maybe... 'She must still be sick...' She didn't need to push herself; there were no battles that they were fighting and he was here for her.

He tossed the comb near her bag and gradually adjusted his position so that he could get out from under her. He easily handled her slight weight as he gently laid her on the bed. He didn't want to wake her since she apparently still needed rest. He managed to somewhat cover her with the blanket they had been sitting on. He stepped back and looked at her, making sure he hadn't woken her up. Lucy looked so peaceful and there was even a hint of a smile on her face. Before he could stop himself, a hand reached out and softly removed an errant chunk of hair from her cheek. She stirred a tad at his touch and he jerked his hand back.

He remained frozen in his stance before her as she resettled and was still again. He breathed a quiet sigh of relief and headed to his bed. He got comfortable and hoped Lucy was well enough for them to set out tomorrow. He was starting to get antsy to move again, but he had been enforcing patience for her sake.

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Lucy awoke with the dawn. She sat up and stretched, feeling even better after an uninterrupted night's sleep. Dare she think that she was almost back to normal? Her head ached just a little and she figured a lot more to drink would help that. Everything else seemed fine, but she took one last envelope just in case...and because she had already paid for it.

After slipping from the bathroom in fresh clothes, Lucy spied Natsu and Happy still asleep in the corner. Checking the clock, she suddenly came up with a great idea. She grabbed the room key, along with some jewels, and slipped from the room. She headed for the main area, reporting to the clerk that they'd be leaving today and getting a check-out time along with directions. She hurried to the nearest restaurant and placed a huge breakfast order, knowing it wouldn't go to waste. She summed Taurus to help her carry it all and hurried back to the hotel.

She stopped Taurus outside the door and thanked him for his help, hoping they hadn't woken Natsu and Happy. Lucy wanted to surprise them with a huge breakfast set-up. However, she didn't even get the key in the lock when it was thrown open to reveal an annoyed, yet upset Natsu.

He put on the brakes before he mowed Lucy down. He smelled food, but disregarded it and focused on her. His anger reared and blended with the worry he felt upon seeing her bed empty and Lucy nowhere in the room. He and Happy practically tore the place apart to see if she had left a note, but there was none. "What's wrong with you?! I thought you were still sick! What are you doing going off by yourself for?"

She was unprepared for what confronted her. The anger in his eyes and the harsh way he grabbed her wrist took her by surprise. Why was he so furious? What happened while she was gone? Her mouth opened to rebuke him, but proper words wouldn't form. "I...I...was..." She held up one of the bags. "Breakfast." She finally stated.

Natsu finally took note of the four other bags on the floor. "Happy and I could've just gone out again like last night ya know." He huffed, arms crossing.

She pouted and clutched the bag, eyes fixed on it. Her surprise had felt almost ruined at this point, but she refused to let the idea go. "That's not the point...I wanted to do something nice in return for all you did for me."

He sighed and bent down to get the bags at her feet. "Are you still going on about that?" He held the door open for her, eyes rolling. "I told you to stop apologizing and thanking me for this! I'm happy to help you!" He put the bags on the table and watched her start pulling stuff from them. The smells started getting to him and his stomach growled. He leaned in a bit from behind her despite how annoyed he was. "...What did you get anyway?"

Lucy couldn't fight her smile. "Just let me finish and you can see for yourself."

Happy floated into view. "Do I smell fish?"

She chuckled and separated their breakfasts. She swiftly finished and stepped back with a sweeping hand. "Ta da!" She pulled Natsu's chair out, eyes watching his face as he almost started drooling. She had eaten with Natsu enough times to know that he had a few favorites in everything he wolfed down and she picked out those dishes that the restaurant offered. A knowing smile crept up. "Forgive me?"

"Huh? Sure."

She pressed her lips together when he shot her a questioning look. "How about we eat? I also have us set to check out in a few hours."

"You're feeling well enough to travel?"

Lucy beamed at Happy. "Yep!"

Natsu smiled and dug in, the last hour of worry totally forgotten. It was nice for them to be able to eat together again. When he went out by himself, it was boring and lonely. Even when Happy went with the next day, it still wasn't the same with only two people. This was how it should be: the three of them together.

Both mages were mentally ready and glad to head home. It had been a weird few days and they were both ready to get back to the guild. Lucy even agreed to travel until they got back. She'd rather be tired than sick again. Despite how much she pushed herself the last five miles and how much she wanted to rest, when they crossed the main road leading into the city, everything melted away to excitement. It was good to be home!


End file.
